Rules.

In our Father’s house.

I read an analogy yesterday written by a man named Daniel Xorse Ayodeji. His perspective, as a godly parent, shined brightly upon our reality as children of God who dwell in His house. Separating Daniel’s word’s from my own will be cumbersome, so Let him have the credit. Any thoughts of mine Daniel inspired.

The children of God have been birthed into His eternal family. That fact is irreversible regardless of how we behave in our Father’s house. We know who He is and that we represent Him as His children. As in any orderly house there are rules. Jesus gave us two commandments to obey. And if we do, we will have pleased our Father who suffers when we don’t.

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:36-40)

Our disobedience hurts Him because He loves us. A love greater than we can ever imagine. When we harm ourselves, or others, He feels it as any parent would. Our Father loves us so much that we were chosen to be His home.

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the chief corner stone, In whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy sanctuary in the LORD, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:19-22)